Volume 24 • 2 • Number Fall 2006

Primary P int In this issue

What is Zen? Primary Point 99 Pound Road, Cumberland RI 02864-2726 U.S.A. Zen Master Seung Sahn ...... 3 Telephone 401/658-1476 • Fax 401/658-1188 www.kwanumzen.org • [email protected] online archives www.kwanumzen.org/primarypoint The Whole World is a Single Flower Conference Published by the Kwan Um School of Zen, a nonprofit religious Singapore, October 2005 corporation. The founder, Zen Master Seung Sahn, 78th Patriarch in the Korean Chogye order, was the first Korean Zen Master to live and Truth Cannot Disappear teach in the West. In 1972, after teaching in Korea and Japan for many years, he founded the Kwan Um sangha, which today has affiliated Zen Master Dae Bong ...... 4 groups around the world. He gave transmission to Zen Masters, and Authenticity “inka”—teaching authority—to senior students called Ji Do Poep Sa Nims, “dharma masters.” Zen Master Bon Soeng ...... 7 The Kwan Um School of Zen supports the worldwide teaching The Light of the Lamp schedule of the Zen Masters and Ji Do Poep Sa Nims, assists the Chong An Sunim, JDPS...... 10 member Zen centers and groups in their growth, issues publications Zen in Las Vegas on contemporary Zen practice, and supports dialogue among religions. If you would like to become a member of the School and receive Thom Pastor, JDPSN...... 13 Primary Point, see page 29. The circulation is 5000 copies.

The views expressed in Primary Point are not necessarily those of this Poetry...... 15 journal or the Kwan Um School of Zen. Books in Our Tradition...... 16, 17 © 2006 Kwan Um School of Zen Founding Teacher Zen Master Seung Sahn Road Trip Michael Zinke ...... 18 School Zen Master Zen Master Soeng Hyang Hard Practice Senior Editor Anne Rudloe ...... 20 School Abbot Zen Master Dae Kwang

Excerpt from her book Butterflies on a Sea Wind Editor-in-Chief School Executive Director JW Harrington Membership in the Kwan Um School of Zen...... 29 Production Manager Kwan Um School of Zen Centers...... 29, 30, 31 School Publications Director Dorota Streitfeld Production Assistant School Executive Assistant Tamarind Jordan

Editor for Asia Mu Shim Sunim JDPS

Teaching Editors Zen Master Bon Haeng • Zen Master Bon Soeng

Poetry Editor Alan Davies, P.O. Box 687, Peter Stuyvesant Station, New York NY 10009

Book Review Editor Judy Roitman JDPSN

Photography Thom Pastor JDPSN Kimball Amram Corrin Chan

Transcription and Copy Editing Chong Won Sunim Kathy Park what is [3

Zen?Zen Master Seung Sahn

First you must ask, “What am I? What is the purpose of my life?” If you answer with words, this is only thinking. Maybe you say, “I am a doctor.” But if you are with a patient and you are thinking, “I am a great doctor,” then you cannot perceive your patient’s situation—you are caught in your thinking. Thinking is only understanding; like a person in a hospital you will find that understanding cannot help you. Then what? If you don’t know, you must only go straight—don’t know. Don’t know mind cuts through thinking; it is before thinking. Before thinking there is no doctor, no patient; also no God, no Buddha, no “I,” no words—nothing at all. At that point you and the universe become one. We call this nothing-mind or primary point. Some people say this is God, or universal energy, or bliss, or extinction. But these are only teaching words—nothing mind is before words. Zen is attaining nothing mind and then using nothing mind to help our world. How can you use it? Make nothing mind into big-love-mind. Nothing mind never appears or disappears. If you do correct meditation, your nothing-mind becomes strong and you perceive your situation clearly! What you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch are all the truth, without thinking! So your mind is like a mirror. Then moment to moment you can keep your correct situation. When a doctor is with his patients, if he drops I-my-me mind and becomes one with them, then helping them is possible. When a doctor goes home and is with their family, if they keep 100% parent mind, then understanding what is best for their children is clear. Just like this. The blue mountain does not move. The white clouds float back and forth. The Whole World is a

4] Single

FlowerZen Master Dae Bong truth cannot disappear

I would like to thank Gye Mun Sunim JDPS and all the a force of resistance. There were about three or four thousand people of the Kwan Yin Chan Lin Zen Center here in Singa- temples in Korea at that time. They were all governed by pore and everyone else who has made this Whole World is a twenty-five head temples. The Japanese governor general who Single Flower Conference possible. Whether you came from was in charge of ruling Korea called the twenty-five abbots of just down the street, or from the other side of the world, I the head temples to Seoul for a meeting. Man Gong Sunim thank you for coming to share yourselves with each other. was the head of one of those temples, so he also was called Lastly, I would like to thank all the teachers, monks, and nuns to this meeting. At this meeting, the governor general said, who have contributed to this conference. “All Korean Buddhists follow you twenty-five great monks. At the end of World War II, Zen Master Man Gong My predecessor, the former governor general, only wanted to wrote the famous calligraphy, “The Whole Word Is a Single help Korean Buddhism. I also want to help Korean Buddhism. Flower.” Why? The end of the war marked the end of thirty- So for Korean Buddhism to become strong, Korean Buddhism five years of oppressive occupation of Korea by the Japanese. and Japanese Buddhism must become one school.” What This period was very difficult and painful for the Korean that meant, of course, is that they would follow the rules of people. Zen Master Man Gong’s role during the occupation Japanese Buddhism. That meant small things—like wearing was very interesting. He wasn’t a monk who just stayed in the black robes—but, it also meant following forms which would mountains, got enlightenment, and enjoyed a good reputation weaken Korean Buddhism. These included allowing monks through teaching people. to marry, eat meat, and drink alcohol, which was the rule in After the 1910 annexation of Korea, the Japanese tried Japan. The Japanese authorities wanted all the major temples to crush Korean culture, language, and religion. Part of that headed by married monks. The penalty for not following strategy was to control Korean Buddhism, which was seen as the rules set forth by the Japanese government could mean imprisonment or execution.

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 After the governor general finished speaking, Man Gong Achan B: “As long as it’s not gin, I don’t mind.” Sunim walked to the front of the room, pointed at the governor ZMDB: “Sorry?” general and demanded, “Do you know where the mountains, AB: “As long as it’s not gin—gin, a type of alcohol, maybe the rivers, and the great earth come from?” The governor gen- the closest is sake… because sometimes you can’t tell the dif- eral was silent. Suddenly Man Gong Sunim shouted, “Katz!” ference.” He pointed to the governor general’s mouth and said, “Then ZMDB: “That’s too complicated an answer for me.” that mouth is the gate to hell. Your predecessor didn’t want to AB: “That’s all you’re getting.” help Korean Buddhism, he wanted to destroy it. If you want ZMDB: “My mind’s complicated. So another way to an- to help Korean Buddhism, don’t touch it.” Then he left and swer will be…” [he drinks the water and hands it to Achan B went back to Dok Sahn Mountain. Six hundred meditation to drink, which he refuses.} monks and nuns refused to follow the Japanese style and the AB: “I have faith.” Japanese didn’t touch them. The rest of the monks and nuns ZMDB: “He has faith. He trusts me. That is a mistake!” went over to the Japanese style, which is why there is still a married monks order in Korea. The occupation continued I will say something about trust. There are three kinds of until World War II ended and the Japanese were forced to thieves in the world. The first kind of thief steals your car, leave. I’m sure everybody was joyous, just like they were in your credit card, your TV. I’m sure you all worry about that. Malaysia, and here in Singapore. Maybe some of you were Actually, this first kind of thief cannot hurt you. The second alive at that time and remember—certainly your parents or kind of thief steals your nation. The name for that kind of grandparents were. thief is “hero.” That is somebody like Napoleon. The second At that time, Man Gong Sunim took a petal from a flower thief is more dangerous. But the most dangerous thief is the [5 of the national flower, dipped it in some ink, and wrote, “The third kind—they steal your mind. The name for that is “holy Whole World Is a Single Flower.” I always wondered why this person.” So watch out, you’ve got two holy people up here calligraphy is not really beautiful writing; it was written with a stealing your minds right now! [clapping] You applaud? Be flower petal, not a brush. But there is no bitterness in this cal- careful. ligraphy. There is no anger. There is no exclusion. Everybody, One of the last things Buddha said was, “Be a lamp unto everything is part of this single flower. Man Gong Sunim’s yourself.” We are Buddhists, right? If you believe there is mind at that time is already the end of all differences. something perfect outside of you, then that is the same as Long ago, Buddha picked up one flower. Only Ma- other religions, not Buddhism. Why do other religions fight hakashyapa understood. In that flower are the 84,000 sutras. all the time? Buddha said, “I am a doctor with many kinds of All the truth of the universe is in Buddha’s flower. And in Man medicine.” He didn’t try to give the same medicine to every- Gong Sunim’s calligraphy is the end of all differences, the body. So if you like one kind of medicine, take it. Don’t worry end of desire, anger and ignorance. Whether he had attained about the kind of medicine other people are taking, or force enlightenment or not, the moment he wrote “The Whole them to take your medicine. That is true Buddhism. World is a Single Flower,” that was the end of all differences. I have a Buddhist story about that. It’s a story about dog You don’t have to wait until your practice is ripe. One moment racing, which took place in America about twenty-five years of truly open, wide, accepting, compassionate, inclusive mind ago. Dogs are put into a cage. There’s a rail on the inside of is it. That is Buddha. the track. And there is a mechanical rabbit on the rail. The We are very lucky in this hall. If we were all from the same mechanical rabbit goes around the track. When the dogs see backgrounds, all from the same lineages and teaching… of the rabbit, they chase it. They think they can catch the rab- course, it would be easy to get along. But if you have different bit, but they can’t because someone is controlling its speed. ideas, then how do you get along? Simple… don’t hold on to But they chase it around until they pass the finish line. Then them. Appreciate the other person’s idea. Who cares who is human beings win or lose money on their bets. One day, right or who is wrong? For example, this is a glass of water. there was a dog named Clear Mary in a race. That’s interest- English people say “water,” Chinese people say “sui,” Korean ing—Clear Mary—because we say Zen means a clear mind. people say “mul,” and Malaysians say “ai.” So I ask everybody Nothing special. Just that your mind is clear. Clear Mary was here, is this water, sui, mul or ai? [clapping] Clap? Why are very fast and had won many races, so many people bet on you clapping, we’re not done here… I ask Achan B—Is this her. On this particular day, all the dogs went into the gate, as water, sui, mul or ai? usual, the gates opened, the dogs saw the rabbit, and started to chase the rabbit. Everybody was cheering, hoping to win

THE WHOLE WORLDPRIMARY IS A POINT SINGLE Fall FLOWER 2006 CONFERENCE money. However, halfway around the track, one dog stopped. The other dogs kept chasing the rabbit, but this one dog just stood there watching. All of the people on the stands were looking at this one dog, Clear Mary. Naturally, the people who bet on her were really upset. They started yelling, “You stupid dog! Run! Run!” But Clear Mary just stood there watching the other dogs chase the rabbit. Then she turned around and looked the other way, back from where she came. Then suddenly she jumped over the rail, shot across the center of the track, and as the rabbit came around, she leaped at the rail and grabbed the rabbit. When our teacher Zen Master Seung Sahn heard this story he said, “This dog has Zen mind.” That is very interesting. Our life is much like this dog race. We are always chasing something outside. We want a car, we want a good relationship, we want a good body, we want enlighten- ment, we want nirvana, we want to find our true self. We always want something. [laughter] But this one dog just stopped. Then she turned around and looked the other way. Then, suddenly, everything became clear. The situation no longer controlled her. Then “Boom!” She jumped over the rail and caught the rabbit. In our lives, it is the same. If we don’t stop and look at ourselves, then “my” situation, “my” condition and “my” opinion always controls me. If we don’t hold on to words, and thinking, onto “I, my, me,”—then we can find what is controlling us. Do you think that truth did not exist until the Buddha appeared? It must have existed before Buddha appeared. That means that even if Buddhism disappears, which the Buddha predicted, we are OK, because truth cannot disappear. So it doesn’t matter what anybody else is doing. It doesn’t matter what the monks do, it doesn’t matter what your teachers do, it only matters what you do. Our teaching is to find your true self and help this world. Then the whole world is a single flower. Thank you. 6]6] Zen Master Dae Bong authenticity

PRIMARYPRIMARY POINTPOINT FallFall 20062006 THE WHOLE WORLD IS A SINGLE FLOWER CONFERENCE [7[7 Zen Master Bon Soeng authenticityThis talk is inspired by the life of Zen Master Seung Sahn. Through his teachings and his action, he was a consistent example of authenticity. Being with him would shake the foundations of my “I, my, me” mind. Things would feel surreal; my usual evaluation and control would loosen. In its place would appear spontaneity and humor. He showed me how one can be committed to a vow of service to the world, while at the same time completely enjoying the moment. His teaching expressed spontaneity, a moment-centered life lived with the purpose of attaining true self and helping this world. He did not push us to understand the sutras, or be experts (as he was) in the Buddha’s teaching. Rather, he pushed us to attain the Buddha’s mind, which means to understand our true selves and manifest it in a way that helps others. About three years before I received inka—authorization to teach—a group of us were out to lunch with Zen Master Seung Sahn. My brother asked him, “When will Jeff become a teacher?” He replied: “When he learns how to eat noodles.” This poem, to me, expresses the heart of his teaching.

ORIGINAL FACE—Zen Master Seung Sahn

Your true self is always shining and free Human beings make something and enter the ocean of suffering Only without thinking can you return to your true self The high mountain is always blue, white clouds coming and going

When Shakyamuni Buddha had his big awakening, he was gazing at the morning star. In that moment, he completely realized that he and the universe were one thing. Even to say “one thing” takes away from the completeness of the experience. His experience was complete, no trace of “I.” He realized that not only were he and the universe one, but that it was true for all beings, all of us. Zen Master Man Gong’s famous calligraphy states: “The whole world is a single flower.” Just as a flower is made up of stem and petals, pistil and roots, so is the complete universe made up of parts which are themselves complete.

THE WHOLE WORLDPRIMARY IS A POINT SINGLE Fall FLOWER 2006 CONFERENCE ­Your true self is always shining and free You are already Aversion or hatred is the second poison. Aversion is es- complete. Hui Neng, the sixth Patriarch, said, “You should sentially rejection. Get that thing away from me. Hatred and know that so far as Buddha-nature is concerned, there is aversion arise in response to something we don’t like or want to no difference between an enlightened man and an ignorant happen to us. It often leads us to push away, at worst culminat- one. What makes the difference is that one realizes it, while ing in violence. Hatred and anger can overwhelm us, causing the other is ignorant of it.” The Buddha’s teaching says that us to act in inauthentic ways in order to get relief from these without cultivation you are already complete. Our authentic, feelings. The natural, authentic flow of life is rejected, and real self needs no cultivation. True self is always shining and more suffering is the result. free whether we are aware of it or not. Our task, our practice, The third poison is ignorance or delusion. This poison fol- is to become aware and to actualize our true self, to be it in lows directly from the other two. Our greed and anger force us this very moment. to act inauthentically and lose contact with the original, natural Zen is not about self improvement. We don’t strive to be- flow of things. This inevitably leads to a sense of separation. come something, or to overcome our deficiencies. We practice To live with that separation, I make up a story or narrative to to allow the natural, authentic unfolding of Buddha-nature explain who I am and why my greed and anger are justified. to manifest. Our effort is about clearing away delusion and More and more, true self is lost, and I live in the dream of my ignorance. This means getting out of our own way, allowing narrative. This is fundamental delusion. The more contrived this magnificence, this authentic true self to manifest. In this our delusion is, the more we suffer. The more rigid we become way healing and world peace are not an impossible, distant trying to justify and bolster our story, the more we suffer, and dream, but exist right now, right here in this very moment. the more we cause suffering for those around us. This “making” of likes and dislikes, good and bad, right and wrong, leads us ­Human beings make something and enter the ocean farther and farther away from an authentic, natural unfolding of suffering Our true self may indeed always be shining and of our lives. free, but most of the time we experience painful difficulties in our lives. We are constantly dissatisfied with the ways things Only without thinking can we return to our true self are. The Buddha said that we suffer because either we don’t Without thinking means before thinking, or not attaching to have what we want, or we are afraid of losing what we do thinking. Seeing things as they are, not how we would like have. Moment to moment we struggle to control and force them to he. Descartes said, “I think, therefore I am.” A Zen 8] the world to fit into the mold of our desires. That is what Zen student asks, “If I don’t think, then what?” Master Seung Sahn is pointing to when he says that human Before-thinking is easy to talk about, but difficult to beings make something. practice. Our desire, anger, and ignorance are so powerful, so Listen to this sound [hit.] Each of us hears this sound. Be- encompassing and solid, that we don’t even recognize their fore thinking we can recognize it for what it is. Just [hit.] But impact. Many people who first hear about before-thinking some of us don’t like that sound: “Why did he hit the table so find it absurd. Others feel that it is impossible to not attach hard?” Or some of us really liked it, “That is so great. I really to their thinking. could get the deep meaning of that sound.” Either way, we are This leads us to the realm of Zen practice. Though our making something. The sound itself is just as it is. How I feel delusion seems enormous, and our suffering feels so daunting about it is making something. This making something creates and profound, Zen practice offers us a way to deconstruct our likes and dislikes. Then, as the Buddha said, if I don’t get what delusion. We can live a more centered and grounded life, in I want, I suffer. If I do get what I want, then I am afraid I order to work with our desire and anger, so that we can recon- might lose it. Or, I might like this sound, but the next sound nect with that authentic natural self which is always shining might hurt my ears and I won’t like it. We are perpetually at and free. odds with, and trying to control, our reality. Quiet the mind. Breathe gently and deeply in and out. In Buddhism we talk about the three poisons: greed, aver- Observe what is happening just now. Find your balance point sion, and delusion. These three poisons point to the way we where desire and anger don’t control you. Allow your actions make something and enter the ocean of suffering. Can you in life to come from this place, and mindfully pay attention recognize them in your own life? Can you see how your desire to the results. This is true Zen practice. for things, or rejection of things, colors your perceptions and From the Chinese and Korean Zen traditions we learn that actions in the world? Can you admit to the inauthenticity of it takes three things to practice Zen—great question, great your actions driven by these three poisons? courage, and great faith. These three greats form the founda- The first poison is greed or desire. I want, I need, give it to tion of practice. Together they show us a path, a way to live me, please, please, please. I really want it. I need to get it and which will bring us into more alignment with what is natural, I need to figure out a way to get it. Maybe I can just take it. I authentic, and true. In this way we can find our true self and know it is YOURS, but I need it more than you. And anyway, help this world. my needs are more important than yours. I’m even willing to Great question is the first of the three greats. Great ques- fabricate a story in order to get what I want. And I will repeat tion means asking the question, “What am I?” and “What is this story over and over until I finally believe it—mostly. this?” Asking these great questions brings our meditation and Greed interrupts the natural flow of things. Adding my mindfulness alive. As we sit in meditation, these questions desire into the equation of life, trying to change or alter the bring energy and focus to our silent work. Mindfully asking way things are to bring me satisfaction, ultimately leads to these questions as we go about our everyday lives offers a way suffering.

PRIMARYPRIMARY POINTPOINT FallFall 20062006 THE WHOLE WORLD IS A SINGLE FLOWER CONFERENCE to bring our meditation out of the dharma hall. What is actu- begin to experience directly the completeness and authentic- ally happening right now? What do I feel and think about it ity of this moment. We can have faith in our own experience. all? How are my thoughts and feelings colouring my view of When standing in the rain, we get wet. It is possible to believe what is happening right now? our own senses, untainted by the three poisons. Listen to the Moment to moment we are called upon to respond to all wind. Hear it and appreciate it for what it is. Feel it on your sorts of situations and conditions. How clearly can we really face and you experience truth. see what is going on? As was said in the discussion about mak- These three greats, practiced moment to moment, grounded ing something, usually our view of the moment is coloured by in meditation and mindfulness, offer us all an active and the three poisons. Using great question as a focus of our Zen dynamic way to practice Zen. They help us actually relax the practice, we can begin to observe the moment more honestly, tight grip of our feelings and thinking and return us to our more free of the biases of our desire, anger, and delusion. As we true self. let go of our biases, we can experience our lives more directly and honestly. We use these questions to clarify our life. The high mountain is always blue, white clouds coming Great courage is the second great. Great courage means to and going Here we return to the realm of the natural unfolding make a great effort, whether the moment is difficult or easy. of the universe. The mountain itself is always blue, whether we This effort is critical to Zen practice because our delusion realize it or not, whether we like it or not. The clouds coming is so strong. Life is very uncertain, and we are very vulner- and going do not bother the mountain. In fact, they coexist able. We cling strongly to our own delusion to protect us peacefully. The mountain helps the clouds form and the clouds from these risks and uncertainties. In our Zen practice, we give moisture to the mountain. In the same way, our struggles need to push beyond what is comfortable. This is one of the and triumphs nourish our awakening. important lessons we learn in a meditation retreat. Much of In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, enlightenment is depicted the time during retreat we are unhappy and want it to end. as a two-headed dragon of wisdom and compassion. In a mo- Just making it through helps us build a stronger center. We ment of centered authenticity, wisdom and compassion appear. need to become better able to observe our desire and anger We have the clarity to see things as they are and the courage to without losing ourselves in them. I may want something, but open our heart. We naturally treat the world and the things in by applying great effort, I may not need to satisfy my desire. it with love and compassion and are concerned about others, I may be angry but I may not need to strike out. I can watch not only about ourselves. it, observe it, and not act on it. We need great courage to Authenticity is the path to peace and healing. Don’t try to [9 honestly face our feelings and thoughts as they are, so as not be someone other than yourself. Allow our Zen practice to help to be lead astray by them. you listen deeply to your true self—your deepest and most Great faith leads us back to the true self, which is always authentic expression of the Buddha’s mind. There are 86,400 shining and free. We believe in our true self, in the authentic seconds in one day. Imagine how many experiences we live in unfolding of life. This is not about believing in something all these seconds. How will we live them? Will we remain lost outside ourselves. We are the universe, the universe is us! in the dream-created by the three poisons, or will we wake up As we begin to see the falseness of our own delusion, we can to this moment’s magnificent unfolding of Buddha-nature?

THE WHOLE WORLD IS A SINGLE FLOWER CONFERENCE

the light of the

How attachment develops and what forms it takes are presented in the Second Noble Truth, where the fundamen- Chong An Sunim JDPS tal cause of all misery to sentient beings is outlined: wrong views, which can prompt us to believe in some inherent, In our historical era, Shakyamuni Buddha discovered unresolvable duality between humans and the world. Ig- spiritual ways humankind had barely known before. He norance is the root of all desire and anger. opened a clear path to enlightenment, which serves the The Third Noble Truth presents the end of suffering, liberation of all sentient beings from suffering. This means which is simply cutting attachments by not dwelling in reducing the suffering that we inflict on ourselves and ot- ignorance, in other words, stopping to make opposites. In hers, and ultimately, it extends to freedom from birth and practice, this means attaining not moving body, not moving 10] death, liberation from the cycle of becoming. speech, and not moving mind. The resulting consciousness Progress on the path is most dynamic when great masters is before thinking or movement. It is clear like space, clear are present. In this talk, I will outline some changes in our like a mirror. lamptradition, as well briefly portray some paramount figures: The Fourth Noble Truth outlines how to use our clear human beings who gave direction to all of us by virtue of mind so as to put an end to suffering. This is called the their attainment. Noble Eightfold Path. It is truly remarkable that all the It is very fortunate that Gautama Siddhartha had over eight paths begin with the word correct. At the same time, forty years to promulgate his teaching. This gave him ample since it gives no explicit and absolute definition of what is time to see where to begin, how to continue, and how to end correct, the path should lead to attaining what that is. his effort. Upon attaining enlightenment, he started to teach It is very clear why the term correct cannot be defined what is now the essence of the dharma, the Avatamsaka by some explanation. If anyone tried to do this, dualistic Sutra: If you wish to thoroughly understand all the Buddhas views would be developed, and the very essence of the path, of past, present and future, then you should view the nature of that is, liberation through non-duality, would be lost. The the whole universe as being created by mind alone. question is left for us to cope with: What is correct? What No matter how profound this teaching is, the Buddha is helpful for all beings? What is it that helps us attain the had to realize that his first students did not understand it, supreme teaching, which is beyond all ignorant views, let alone attain it. Therefore, he started with something anger, or desire? more conceivable, the Four Noble Truths. Although this The Buddha and his students had to practice together approach was fraught with the danger of seeing the world as for many years before the teaching on transcendental wis- existing by itself, independent of human mind, the Buddha dom could appear. Nearly all pieces of the Prajnaparamita did start where students could see what he meant. scriptures boil down to the same point, where the pheno- Who would not see impermanence? Who would not menal world becomes void of any characteristics that we see the immediate root of suffering: attachment to imper- see as inherent. manence? In this way, the First Noble Truth, the fact of The teaching on non-self and emptiness would not work suffering, could easily be comprehended. without first carefully studying how this world appears to

PRIMARYPRIMARY POINT POINTSpring/Summer Fall 2006 2006

us. Without describing the problem clearly, the solution It is vital to cut attachment to words and speech. Thus cannot be found, and the creator of all our woes cannot the first principle says: Do not depend on the scriptures. be identified. This world is originally empty, functioning The second says: Seek for a transmission which is beyond spontaneously without any self or permanent quality, to the written word. The third emphasizes the importance of no end or special purpose. directly pointing to the human mind. The fourth outlines This is why the Heart Sutra says that originally the five the result: enlightenment by perceiving human nature. skandhas are empty and thus we are saved from suffering In our nature, we find the origin and cessation of all and distress. This means that if we do not create suffering, phenomena and attributed qualities. If we look into oursel- there is no suffering. Without the fact of suffering, the other ves deeply, we no longer ask for an external explanation [11 three Noble Truths do not come about either. of what suffering is, what a human being is, and why this Now the truth laid out in the Avatamsaka Sutra is world reacts to humans in the way it does. lamp brought home, and those who practice persistently can After Bodhidharma’s time, was there any need to renew eventually discern how the mind creates the world. Finis- the way the teaching functions? Yes, certainly. Six generati- hing his great work, the Buddha reminded his students ons later, Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch, almost lost his life about impermanence and the importance of practice: ’’This because the relics attached to the patriarchal succession of world is on fire—strive endlessly!” the Buddha were coveted by a monk. In critical situations, Although this recognition gave rise to numberless sutras as well as in everyday life, attainment is qualified by how and shastras, the underlying practice to attain where suf- one functions. Hui Neng destroyed the robe and the bowl, fering comes from and how it can be overcome gave way so that their presence could no longer hinder or endanger within a few generations to thinking and rethinking what anybody who became ripe in the dharma. Moreover, he the Buddha had said. had the monolithic succession line fan out into five distinct Therefore, the 28th Patriarch, Bodhidharma, had an schools, soon to go to everywhere in Asia. The fruits of immense job. His teacher, Prajnatara, told him to bring these seeds are still fresh and alive today. the light of the lamp, the true dharma, to China. Sutras In the 20th century, several Asian monks and nuns had been flowing to China for centuries before that, and received instructions from their teachers to carry the there were countless temples, and many, many monks dharma to the west. One of them was Zen Master Seung and nuns. Sahn. Through his tireless efforts, the light of the lamp is Nonetheless, Bodhidharma had to employ what is now now shining on more and more of us. We have a much the Four Principles of Zen to teach those who would listen better chance than before to attain the correct way, where to become practitioners again. The task was not easy; this our situation, relationship, and function all become part is evident from his encounters with scholarly monks in of the bodhisattwa way to offer the path of awakening to various temples, and his abruptly-ending conversation this world. with Emperor Wu.

THETHE WHOLEWHOLE WORLDWORLD ISIS AA SINGLESINGLE FLOWERFLOWER CONFERENCECONFERENCE On behalf of the Hungarian sangha, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to Zen Master Seung Sahn and all the patriarchs in his succession line, as well as to his students, followers, and supporters. What the Buddha taught, what Bodhidharma carried with him, what Hui Neng spread in the ten directions, and what Zen Master Seung Sahn brought to America, Europe, Africa, and Australia—are they the same or are they different?

Suffering comes— Where from? Liberation appears— Where from?

KATZ!

All bright faces in the audience: how can we help this world?

12]12]

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 zen in las vegas Thom Pastor, JDPSN

It is wonderful to be here in Singapore at the Whole Zen Master Seung Sahn realized that human beings World Is A Single Flower Conference. It is also an honor the world over, whether in Paris, Rome, Singapore, Las to be given an opportunity to speak to you a little bit about Vegas, or elsewhere, have the same desires and wants, but why this sangha gathering is so auspicious, and why Zen he also taught that if we “put down,” our wanting, attach- Master Seung Sahn considered it so important. ing, checking, and holding, then we can attain the same Almost everyone in the world, if you were to meet and mind as Mahakashyapa when the Buddha held up a single ask them, knows or at least has heard about Singapore. flower and Mahakashyapa simply smiled. At that time the It can be said that Singapore is a world class city, not unlike whole world became a single flower. The wisdom is time- Paris, Rome, London, Hong Kong, New York, and other less. When you think and I think, our minds are different. world destinations. However, your before-thinking mind is your substance. My Where I call home has gained in thirty short years world- before-thinking mind is my substance. The whole universe [13 wide popularity as well. I live in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. before our fragmented opinions, judgments, and opposites Las Vegas is known for its neon, fancy hotels, restaurants, thinking is just like this—complete and undifferentiated. and gambling. Since our Zen Center opened in Las Vegas, many, many Zen Master Seung Sahn said that everyone wants things, people have come there. Many have already experienced chases things, and is attached to those things. These are the the futility of chasing after things, and the resultant suffer- maxims which command Las Vegas. The spiteful snakes of ing born out of their attachments. In Buddhist circles, Las sex, money, rich food, and power are the deities of choice Vegas has often been called “big, desire mind.” The allure there, insulated by an industry that not only tolerates them, of instant riches, good times, and sense gratification has its but, in fact, exalts them. list of clients. From prostitutes, gamblers, alcoholics, and I did much of my early Zen training in Los Angeles at drug users desperately seeking their true life’s direction to Dharma Zen Center with Zen Master Ji Bong, and became Anglican priests, rabbis, and Christian clergy, families with a dharma teacher in 1994. Around that time, Zen Master small children, and everyone in between, Great Brightness Seung Sahn would visit Las Vegas fairly often, primarily as a Zen Center has welcomed them all. patient of the famous Korean acupuncturist, Dr. Ju Cheon So the question arises, are Las Vegas, London, Paris, Lee. One night, over dinner, knowing that I had recently Rome, New York, and Hong Kong the same or different become a dharma teacher, he looked at me, smiled and said, examined from this mind light? “So, maybe a Zen center will now appear in Las Vegas?” When we quiet the mind and look carefully at our expe- “That would be wonderful,” I replied, and suggested he rience, we see that this world is a world of constant change might send someone, a monk or nun, to oversee this under- and insecurity. Anything that arises in our life, no matter taking, a response he acknowledged with a laugh, “Oh no, how hard we try to stabilize it, will pass away. Whatever no… This is your job!” I learned never to argue with Zen appears is transitory and thus can never last. Consciousness Master Seung Sahn! Shortly thereafter, Great Brightness and object reveal themselves to be continually dissolving Zen Center appeared. We are now in our twelfth year. like snowflakes on a hot oven. Whatever appears is not “Everybody comes into this world carrying nothing,” dependable, and there is no refuge, no anchor, no safe Zen Master Seung Sahn has said. “Everyone leaves for haven. someplace, also carrying nothing. We cannot take anything The quest for instant gambling riches, pleasure and with us. Yet in between, everybody wants things, chases sense gratification is hollow, and at its core, devoid of things, and is very much attached to things.” substance.

THE WHOLE WORLD IS A SINGLE FLOWER CONFERENCE I would like to quote Zen Master Seung Sahn from his dedication speech for our Zen Center in Las Vegas. He said “In this desert, an oasis has appeared. If there is no oasis in the desert, there is no place for people to drink water, and if you have no water to drink, you soon will die. Las Vegas has been called the city of desire, or the city of sin. A Zen Center in this city of desire is just like a beautiful oasis appearing in this very dry desert. This effort will produce much dharma water. This dharma water will give great enlightenment to the thirsty students, and will help save many beings. “Our Buddhism is not just getting happiness for ourselves. Our Buddhism is finding our own mind light and using this illumination to shine on all beings. If we find this mind light together, then this truly can become Great Brightness Zen Center. Dae, or great, means no opposites. Myung, or bright, means no shadow. If we acquire our true nature’s light, then there is no shadow.” So whether we make our home in beautiful Singapore, or Paris, Rome, London, Hong Kong, or New York, our jobs fundamentally are the same. Thirsty students are everywhere. Buddha, some 2500 years ago, said this world is an ocean of suffering. What was true then, is true now. With over 6.5 billion people on this planet, all of us must share equally in this great task of offering dharma water to thirsty students. How do we quench the insatiable thirst of I, my, me? By our example, we can demonstrate that a life of mindfulness and compassion is the true way. The simplicity and precision that is each moment is attained when we perceive life with a mind that is clear like space. This is our true nature. When we can do this without giving rise to thoughts of gain or loss, then truly we can help save all beings from suffering. The legacy we leave, this world is not our acquisitions. How we keep our minds, how we act, and how we live our life is our true legacy to this world. Let us all enjoy this international conference, eat together, drink tea together, and express together the essence of “Whole World Is A Single Flower.” 14]14]

THE WHOLE WORLD IS A SINGLE FLOWER CONFERENCE Buddha’s Tooth Imagine Couplets for the Great Hero Sometimes we encounter prose written for one pur-

pose or another. With some simple editing, and On a beautiful day, the Buddha was born perhaps a word change here and there, it becomes a He was a prince, a royal son poem. Was this the writer’s true meaning?

The following poem was derived from a descriptive Bright as he was, he left his home naturewalk sign along the Swamp Walk, Lincoln To find the answer to humans’ woe Park, Lexington. It is slightly modified from the

originals by the transcriber, Gary Kahn. Six years he sat, all alone Saw the star and he awoke Imagine releasing a toy boat

And following it down the banks of Vine Brook What is life? What is death? To the Shawsheen, then to the Concord. How are we born to reap all that? Run the quick rapids into the Merrimack.

Meet the tidal waters at Newburyport. Think a little but do not know Our toyboat has floated through a watershed. Save yourself from all that woe One of three.

North to the Merrimack. If you want to bite your karma’s root East to the Mystic. You’ve gotta have the Buddha’s tooth! South to Charles.

Next time, maybe, another direction. —Chong An Sunim JDPS Dharma —Gary Kahn

I can hear it.

I can see it. [15 North Crestone Lake I can smell it. Those feet that have been here I can taste it. before your feet created this trail. Other lives I can feel it. have followed this thread of dust and stones switchbacking up through Douglas fir and aspen, I can touch it. have crossed chattering streams on worn logs, felt the alpine meadow expand I can experience it. like a deep breath, climbed scree slope and snowfield With mind and body. to gaze down on this lake, held like a chip of rainbow The Dharma that is all ready full. in an upturned palm, with fingers of peaks brushing the sky around. Why change it? For a moment your mind stops It is just like this. while what is here before your mind continues. Now the shape of this —Mu Shim Sunim JDPS lives within you, as it lives in others who have been here. They say there are ten thousand doors to freedom. When you meet another being, The Man and Woman in the this place in you can bow Floorboards of the Zendo to this place in them. Had I not been here I never —Chris Hoffman would have seen them. Now they show me my mind.

—Chris Hoffman

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 A fresh approach to Zen

Don’t-Know Mind: The Spirit of Korean Zen. Zen Master Wu Kwang uses stories about Korean Zen Masters from Ma-tsu to Seung Sahn to present Zen teaching applicable to anyone’s life. 128 pages. Shambhala. ISBN 1-59030-110-2. $14.95

The Wisdom of Solitude. The story of Zen Master Bon Yeon’s solo retreat is threaded through with Zen teaching and striking insights into the human mind when left to its own devices. 160 pages. Harper SanFrancisco. ISBN 0-06-008595-9. $21.95

Wanting Enlightenment is a Big Mistake: Teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn. Compiled and edited by Hyon 16] Gak Sunim. Foreword by Jon Kabat-Zinn Shambhala, 2006. 199 pages. Shambhala. ISBN 1-59030-340-7. $15.95

Dropping Ashes on the Buddha: The Teaching of Zen Master Seung Sahn. Compiled and edited by Stephen Mitchell. A delightful, irreverent, and often hilarious record of interactions with Western students. 244 pages. Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-3052-6. $12.00

A Gathering of Spirit: Women Teaching in American Buddhism. Edited by Ellen Sidor. Talks and discussions from three landmark conferences at Providence Zen Center. Third edition, 1992. 156 pages. Primary Point Press. ISBN 0-942795-05-9. $11.95

The Whole World is a Single Flower: 365 Kong-ans for Everyday Life. Zen Master Seung Sahn. CD-ROM version for Mac and PC. Audio recordings of Zen Master Seung Sahn’s commentaries together with the full text of the kong-an collection. 2006. 2 discs. Primary Point Press. ISBN 0-942795-15-6. $30.00

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 order through your favorite bookseller or at www.kwanumzen.com/ppp

Bone of Space: Poems by Zen Master Seung Sahn. This collection captures a master’s thoughts during everyday life—while traveling, talking on the phone, attending a friend’s funeral. Primary Point Press edi- tion, 1992. 128 pages. Primary Point Press. ISBN 0-942795-06-7. $15.00

Compass of Zen. Zen Master Seung Sahn. Compiled and edited by Hyon Gak Sunim JDPS. It is a simple, clear, and often hilarious presentation of the essential teachings of the main Buddhist traditions—culminat- ing in Zen—by one of the most beloved Zen Masters of our time. 1997. 394 pages. Shambhala. ISBN 1-57062-329-5. $24.95

Only Don’t Know: Teaching Letters of Zen Mas- [17 ter Seung Sahn. Issues of work, relationships, and suffering are discussed as they relate to meditation practice. 1999. 230 pages. Shambhala. ISBN 1-57062-432-1. $14.95

Open Mouth Already a Mistake: Talks by Zen Master Wu Kwang. Teaching of a Zen master who is also a husband, father, practicing Gestalt therapist and musi- cian. 1997. 238 pages. Primary Point Press. ISBN 0-942795-08-3. $18.95

Wake Up! On the Road with a Zen Master. An enter- taining documentary that captures Zen Master Seung Sahn’s energy and presents the core of his teaching. 1992. VHS. 54 minutes. Primary Point Press. ISBN 0-942795-07-5. $30.00

The Whole World is a Single Flower: 365 Kong-ans for Everyday Life. Zen Master Seung Sahn. The first kong-an collection to appear in many years; Christian, Taoist, and Buddhist sources. 1993. 267 pages. Tuttle. ISBN 0-8048-1782-0. $22.95

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 Michael Zinke roadGreat Lake Zen Center trip When I was young, I remember that my father was would start plotting routes again and again. Never taking always reading maps. We never really went anywhere, the trips, but always prepared. but he would spend hours looking at maps of our state, You can probably see where this is headed, right? the surrounding states, and even the entire United Nowhere. As long as you plan, plan, plan, you never go States. He knew all the major roads, where they went, anywhere. Someday you have to stop planning and just what towns they went through, the fastest route from go. You can be like my father and know every major road here to almost anywhere. He knew just about every in the United States, but until you actually get in your car major and minor river and where it started and where and drive on those roads, you will always be right there in it ended. One time on a trip home, I noticed that I your driveway where you started. had crossed the East Branch of the Skunk River. The Many times we plan to do things, whether it be to go name just struck me as being funny, so I mentioned to practice or go shopping. But the results are the same if it to my dad. He knew exactly where it was and even we only plan to do these things and never get around to told me where the West Branch of the Skunk River actually doing them; then we never get to practice or we was. Yet, with all the reading he did and knowledge never go shopping. We can apply this same principle to he had about roads, cities, and states, we hardly ever a lot of other things in our home life and our work life. went anywhere. As the end of the year approaches, I am reminded that I 18] I used to look back at that and laugh and wonder had planned to take several classes to fulfill my development what that was all about, and then one day I caught plan objectives at work for the year. But, so far, I have only myself doing the same thing. When I stopped and planned to take the courses, I haven’t actually taken the thought about it, I realized that I also spent a lot of courses yet, and the year-end is quickly approaching. So time looking at maps. I don’t know, maybe it’s just a planning to take the courses is as far as I have gotten, and guy thing, or maybe it’s some strange genetic trait passed that isn’t going to meet the objective, which was to actually on from my forefathers. But I remember a couple of take the courses. summers ago, my wife and I talked about going to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Before long, I had the maps out and was planning a road trip. Within a day or two, I had mapped out several different routes from here to the Outer Banks. Not just one route, mind you, but I had probably four different routes through as many states as you could imagine. I even had several different routes for the trip back home. But something came up and the trip never happened. The following summer, we thought about going down and checking on some land we own in Tennessee. Of course, that was then expanded to go farther, as long as we were in the area, we might just as well go to Asheville, North Carolina—it’s right down the road a piece, and as long as we were that far south, we could just as well continue on to Savannah, Georgia and check it out. I always wanted to see Savannah. Out came the maps, and several routes were once again plotted. Both to and from, several selections, just take your pick of states to go through. Of course, something else came up, and that trip was postponed also. But I continued to look at maps and atlases, and at the very mention of a trip, I

PRIMARY POINTOINT FallFall 20062006 As I talk to other people about Zen practice, I run into moment. After we make those plans, we have to act on many people who say they have read a lot about Zen. They them, follow the plan that we laid out. Many people haven’t practiced Zen at all, they don’t apply Zen to their don’t plan and have no way to handle bad situations that daily lives, but they have read a lot, and know probably far arise. But having a plan that is never followed is of no more than I do about historical facts and figures relating use to us, either. to Zen. But reading about Zen and not practicing is like There is nothing wrong with looking at maps and reading maps and not going anywhere. Over the years, I planning trips. There is nothing wrong with reading all have heard many teachers say “put the books down and the Zen books you can find. There is nothing wrong practice.” Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that with planning. Just remember that all of that planning reading about Zen is fine, but someday you have to put is empty unless you start the car or sit on the cushion. down the books and start sitting on the cushion. We have You must put the plan into action to reap any benefits to take all of those great ideas that we read about in all of of the plan. those books and start applying all of those things in our So, the next time you pick up a map and look at all daily life. That way, when we see someone who is hungry, of the different ways to go from point A to point B, we know that we need to feed them. If we see someone remember to start the car and actually experience the who is suffering, we can help them find the origin of their trip. The next time you enjoy reading about Zen in a [19 suffering, and correct the situation. new book, put the book down, and sit on the cushion Planning is a necessary part of life. We need to plan for a while. Experience the trip, experience Zen. You’ll for the future, but we must remember that when we plan be happy you did. for the future, we have to do the planning in the present

PRIMARYPRIMARY POINT POINT Fall Fall 2006 2006 subconscious way of avoiding the situation. When, not if, you get sleepy,” she said, “try to observe it and note its sensations. Are there particular emotions associated with it? What’s happening that you don’t like? Keep your eyes open, do walking meditation. Deal with it a while.” It made sense. As the mind calms down, one does feel less tired and need less sleep. A lot of the food we eat is to fuel the brain, so maybe a lot of the sleep we need is to rest it from its spinning. The world does look a little different with less sleep. The day-night-day-night perception of how time passes may begin to change, and insight may develop a little more easily. It is possible to develop a clear, powerful mind that is no longer such a slave to physical demands. A physically sheltered and structured setting like a meditation retreat is a better place to practice this skill than in the midst of daily demands. But the familiar schedule still seemed harder than usual —getting up, being tired, and doing all the sitting. It was definitely tougher in this long retreat, maybe because I didn’t have anything better to think about. It was a good example of the kind of thinking that makes us even more tired, things like comparing this to that, liking this, not that. My habit of trying to understand Zen and kong-ans was partly the result of years of analytical scientific training. However, my habit of analysis also allowed me to avoid being HARD PRACTICE intimate with my feelings. Intellectualizing and abstracting 20]20] practice was a defense against living it. It was okay to “figure Anne Rudloe it out” so long as that was a secondary part of the practice, Excerpts from her book “Butterflies on a Sea Wind” used to help people through their tough spots. But if I used (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2002) “figuring it out” to insulate myself from the silent fire of continued from Primary Point Fall 2004 practice, it would subvert the whole thing. All this thinking! What happened to the peaceful mind Students who would like to study the way must not I’d had at the beginning? Now I was lying in bed figuring wish for easy practice. If you seek easy practice, you will out the process of figuring things out when I needed to be for certain never reach the ground of truth or dig down to asleep. It took so long to get to sleep that I was sure the next the place of treasure. Even teachers of old who had great 4:30 AM wake up would be horrible. I got up thinking, capacity said that practice is difficult. “The body will be tough. Don’t add mental hassles. Just do Zen Master Dogen it peacefully.” And getting up wasn’t too bad. Once again, physical energy came from the state of my By the first day of the second week of the retreat, I was mind independent of sleep. The level of mental tension made angry at the system because I was once again fighting drowsi- sitting physically hard one day and easy the next. If I could ness instead of just being able to enjoy the retreat. Once stay in this retreat for several months, maybe I could explore again, just getting up each morning was a test of commit- that relationship enough to resolve it finally. But there wasn’t ment and strength. that much time. All through the early morning sitting, I was preoccupied What would this day bring? I had a secret illegal stash of of how formal practice did and didn’t fit in with family chocolate I’d been saving until it was needed. After almost commitments, and I couldn’t wake up. Mental energy, I no sleep the night before, this was the morning, and the suddenly realized, can control sleepiness. When there was candy was awesomely good. Out on the porch, the high less worry and more energy, sleepiness wasn’t a problem. wind that had been blowing constantly almost all night When energy failed, sleepiness appeared like a scavenger to long was gone. The quiet stillness poured through me. This pick my bones. stillness was what was so impossible to reach in the medita- When I described the sleepiness at the next interview, tion room with fatigue, backache and guilt distracting me. the teacher pointed out that constant mental chatter and Here was a whole sky full of awareness—a sky glowing with thinking requires a lot of energy and makes one tired. moonlight and early morning light, three stars gleaming “There are several sources of sleepiness in meditation. through the branches of a maple tree and one dove cooing Aside from the physical need for rest, sleepiness can be a in the sharp cold.

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 At the interview with the teacher later that morning, I related the experience out on the porch and how frustrated I felt having to go back into the meditation room, with its backaches and struggles, to walk away from what this retreat was really about. “Don’t attach to good feelings or bad feelings; learn from both, accept both,” she said. “When it’s time to go to the meditation hall, just go to the meditation hall. And even if there’s a special moment, when it passes, it just passes. You can’t hold it, and if you try, you miss the next moment.” That night, the Zen Master gave a talk. “It’s not so impor- tant to be right,” she said, “to be a leader, to be compassionate, to be whatever idea you have of what you should be. It’s just important to be there, and to be present fully. If you can be there, be clear, and trust yourself, you will know what to do with the specifics of the situation.” Several questions followed. How do you deal with those who take advantage of giving way to their needs? How do you handle an emotionally painful situation? Is it better to hide it or let the pain show? Her answer was basically the same. Just be fully present, be clear and trust yourself, and you will know what to do with the specifics of the situation. Zen never gives the answers. Specific questions are clarified but tossed back, teaching us to face and solve our problems for ourselves. I began to relax and enjoy the experience of just sitting there listening to a talk. Everything was already complete for [21 just a moment. What was I trying to achieve here? A set of girl scout badges? A little star to sew on my gray jacket for each kong-an solved? At the next morning’s work period, I was assigned to sweep some wooden stairs that weren’t dirty. Coming from a household where hours were engulfed in a futile attempt to create order out of never-ending domestic chaos, I was deeply offended at the pointlessness of it all. But by the time I got to the bottom of the “clean” stairs, there was a pile of dirt that had been there and invisible. So! Pay attention. Things weren’t as they seemed if you looked close enough. Unlike the endless, hopeless struggle at home, this activity polished and repolished to maintain a high standard of order and cleanli- ness. But using everything as a symbol of something else was analysis. Maybe I should just quietly sweep the floor without all this worry about whether or not it was necessary. Although I was less sick with fatigue than I had been, I still dozed at sittings, and meditation seemed about as un- productive as it ever had been at any retreat. I was also having fantasies of being acknowledged as special somehow by the Zen Master in front of all the others. Maybe next time, I’d come up with an answer to hanging from a branch so brilliant and original that it would dazzle even her. This idea was more of the endless efforts of ego trying to reassert itself. It was what children do when they compete for attention and feel deprived of it. The little child’s endless desire to be noticed by Mother becomes the adult’s desire to be noticed by some other authority figure—God, the Universe, whatever.

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 At the next interview, after my newest solution to hanging with scalding hot tea. And then we drank the tea. This was from a branch died, I asked the teacher about my apparent followed by a final rinse with water. Instead of gallons of lack of progress in this retreat relative to insights gained in soapy water being dumped after doing dishes, only one bowl previous ones. of clear, unpolluted water was left to pour out. “It’s not a linear process, and you can’t measure what’s During the next morning work period, I was sweeping happening by a simple yardstick like insights per hour. The clean stairs again. Obviously this job wasn’t based on my things happening are more subtle than that. The world is standards of what was meaningful, or what work was needed. infinite, and if you try to measure it by what you get and But I wasted so much energy and generated so much dis- how fast you get it, you’ll never perceive the infinite qualities content by worrying about the matter. It would have been a of the world.” lot simpler to just do the work to the Zen Center’s standard Oh. Of course. Whatever. and stay mentally free by not being concerned with how my Feeling glum about everything, I went for a walk into opinion differed from that of the staff. Sweeping clean stairs gorgeous fields and woods with late afternoon sun that was used as a teaching technique, and obviously worked turned roadside ditch weeds into spectacularly beautiful quite well on that level. stuff. Beauty was spread with such an extravagant care, free Then I switched to a crew of several people loading next hand on this earth. The sky, clearing after a rainstorm, was a winter’s firewood into a room next to the huge wood-burning spectacular white/purple/blue swirl. The natural things were furnace. Despite Zen admonitions to not classify the world such powerful teachers. into “good” or “bad,” that work was a lot more satisfying than In the formal Zen setting, all the distractions of a social sweeping the stairs. It was essential work, something that a organization were a problem. Outdoors, human structure lot of human beings had done for thousands of years. was irrelevant. If a Zen Master teaches by pointing directly We were accidentally killing lots of moths and spiders that to reality, a tree, a prairie, a sea are even more direct in how were hiding under the loose bark and got stored away with they teach us. Reality manifests itself with no immediate the wood. I pointed the situation out to the monk who was in awareness of anyone watching, more than any human Zen charge of the work detail. “Yes, that’s so,” was all he said. Master could, and you’re forced to let go of your personal It was classic Zen. He confirmed the observation but issues when faced with that impersonal stillness—forced to didn’t solve the conflict with the Buddhist precept about 22] ask only, What is this? not killing anything. That was my job. We didn’t mean to Yet my buzzing human mind was as real as the straight kill anything so their deaths wouldn’t impair our spiritual stillness of a tree, so maybe if I just let the mind buzz awhile, development—was that it? But this was still a selfish attitude. and didn’t worry about it, it would eventually settle. Even Tell that to the dying moth. Or was the lesson here just a when nothing seemed to be happening at a retreat, some- realistic acknowledgement of the ubiquitousness of death thing was stirring beneath the surface, because life was always and dying? If I wanted to take the extra time and energy to different afterward. Things were always happening—the save those little creatures, I should have taught by example question was whether or not I’d paid enough attention to and got them off the logs as they came in, not just made notice them. speeches about the issue. Just get clear and then take action. Then came dinner preparation. I couldn’t find some of the But I also had to be clear about how much labor it took to dishes that were needed, but unlike Florida weekend retreats heat this place, and whether we could afford the time to pick where a whispered “Where’s the bowl?” was okay, no talking over every log with tweezers. at all was permitted. Irritated, angry opinions arose in a flood When the bell rang the next morning, my mat had even while somebody handed me the bowl. somehow slid to one side, and I was sleeping directly on the It was an extremely simply meal—English muffin, peanut concrete floor. That was fine, the floor felt soft and cozy. How butter, apple, water—that really allowed appreciation of the else could I have known that cement could be so soft? smallest, simplest smallest things. More opinions, this time The prospect of the next interview felt like an exam com- approving ones, came but always with a judgment. ing up—the Zen Master was waiting for an answer to the We ate following a complex formal ritual that involved kong-an. But that self-consciousness was only ego. Unlike an putting certain foods in certain bowls in a certain order. exam, there’s no passing or failing in an interview, nothing Eating was done in silence, with one’s attention totally on to gain or lose. The teacher’s job is only to see where you are the food. Without keeping the mind totally present and mentally and then give you some help. So relax, I ordered focused only on the present situation, it was impossible myself, don’t worry about making a good impression, and to do the ritual correctly. The silent attention made things just communicate openly. vivid and intense. There was not only the flavor and texture (…) of the food but also the muscle movements and feel of teeth After missing the kong-an yet again, I was full of ques- grinding into fruit. A saltine cracker was a feast. Not only a tions. “Why is it so hard for people to perceive reality if it is lovely ceremony and a meditation on eating, the meal was indeed right under our noses, right here, right now? also incredibly efficient. The last step was to rinse the bowls “It’s not hard to perceive, but it’s hard to believe that that’s

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 it because it’s so simple. People can’t accept that that’s all there is to it,” the Zen Master responded. Oh...okay. “Why be so meticulous in our actions? Those stairs I keep sweeping aren’t dirty.” “It’s like polishing a sword. The more you polish the blade, the sharper it is and the better it works. Being meticulous is sharpening the sword of your awareness, of paying attention, it’s seeing and hearing all the teachers that are constantly pres- ent, it’s being aware of a correct situation, and of knowing a human being’s role and doing it.” Okay, so once more unto the steps with the broom, I thought ruefully. During work period, I swept the steps with a hand brush and got lots of dirt. Clearly, there was still a lot to learn about being meticulous. The next day’s work practice consisted of cutting brush that was in bud. I made a casual remark that it was sad to cut the limbs as they budded, and the man I was working with gave a long, unsolicited sermon about why it was okay. I disagreed with everything he said and was suddenly grate- ful for the silence of a retreat. Silence ensured that the only teaching either came from within or from a trained and experienced teacher who spoke from years of practice. I didn’t cheat by talking anymore. That afternoon, I gave up trying to focus on the floor during meditation and sat staring out the window at the forest. Once again some small sense of peace appeared. [23 Hawks, wildflowers, a cardinal nesting, the New England weather flipping from hot to cold and back again—reality was surging loud and clear there in the woods. I was still adding up lists of what I received for this effort. I still didn’t totally trust that I’d be sustained without wor- rying about what I gave and what I got back for it. Maybe in a really long retreat all this incessant observing and speculating would just naturally fade away into stillness. Sitting in the woods and marshes at home was great, but it was impossible to meditate there for more than an hour or two before being swept back into the endless busywork of work and family life. Weeks or months of sustained effort were only possible in a formal retreat where all the logistics were set. Then maybe some insight would be more likely. An intense long-term effort couldn’t happen until I could really relax within this retreat lifestyle, day by day, moment to moment, instead of counting the days until the grueling effort ended. Only when it wasn’t grueling and exhausting anymore, and the body wasn’t utterly miserable, would I be able to focus. That might take a long time, so why not quit trying to rush things? I asked myself. A day in this reality is not just another day aimlessly rolling by. Personal daily life is the froth, and turmoil on the surface of the ocean. The bigger the waves, the deeper their turbulence reaches. However, there is always a zone beneath all the waves where the uproar gives way to peace. Find it, rest in the calm, and then come back into the turbulence and get to work.

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 The key is to view the sitting time as personal time that is “When we are caught in thinking and wanting,” she the same as rest time. One can’t do that until the aches and added, “then just focus on breathing to get free of it and drowsiness aren’t so overwhelming, and until it is possible get back into awareness of this present moment. Peace is to stay awake during the rest periods. Then they become absolutely beyond reach when there is desire, grasping, fear the same thing, and the retreat is restful and healing instead of the future, and frustration in the present.” of a huge struggle. Wanting to get something more out of Okay. Good advice. Sit like a mountain, and stay focused Zen practice than the immediate experience of it is a bad and present in each moment. I crossed my legs, folded my Zen sickness. Just relax, slow down, enjoy the training, and hands, and began. Half an hour later, the plan wasn’t work- then enjoy life. There’s really no difference anyway. ing out so well. I began to wonder what we’d have for lunch, Doing the retreat rituals or chores carefully is a tech- and how much longer until the slap of the stick signaled the nique to keep the mind focused, away from personal ego end of the sitting. But waiting for something to be over was and its issues. Similarly with bowing, chanting, breathing, throwing away all the moments between now and the end. or wearing uniform clothing, we let go of the personal Those moments are precisely all we have in life—why throw melodrama for a little while and become just another them away heedlessly? human being doing what humans have always done—ask- The more we learn to pay attention closely, the more likely ing, What’s the point? All these activities help to keep the it is that any given moment will open into a transcendent chattering, self-centered mind with its opinions, grief, and experience. However, sitting in the hope of some specific desires at bay for the duration of the retreat. Eventually result is wanting something. Being focused on desire mostly that mind becomes less strong in all situations. When the precludes anything from actually happening. experience becomes healing, one experiences a new perspec- There had been easier moments than this in past medita- tive. It’s not how many days until the retreat is over, but tion periods, even moments of great peace and beauty. But how many days of this special space are left in which to even if I could describe one of those moments, it was of a past experience how life is when the mind is not continuously time. It wasn’t right now and right now is what is important, reacting to events? so what was happening right now? The next morning I sat facing an east window at Sleepiness was happening right now. It was the worst ever dawn. First a star sparkled through a tree branch, then and absolutely no flow of insights or mental special effects 24] the brightness and color of the dawn, and then the rising helped break it up. No matter how much meticulous atten- sun, glowing on the leaves of a tree, appeared. The gold, tion I paid to being miserable, it didn’t seem very likely to orange, and pink rays of sunlight in my squinting eyes unfold into some dazzling moment of spiritual breakthrough. and the iridescence of spider silk gleaming in the sun one I’d trade the whole effort for an hour’s nap. Maybe after that, minute and then invisible the next, became the filaments life would be different. of interconnectedness through which energy flows. Each It was really hard to pay attention to this moment when of these beautiful events lasted only a few moments, and I was the next in line for an interview and anticipating that then disappeared to be replaced with the next. moment with the greatest aversion because I still didn’t have That moment, each moment, was an endless vastness an answer for the hanging from a branch kong-an. The kong- of beauty, yet such moments arise and dissolve endlessly. an was impossible and unyielding. One after the other, they endlessly disappear and new ones At the last interview before the end of the retreat, I walked arise like water flowing through our fingers. There’s noth- into the room with a totally blank mind. Usually I entered ing more transient than these beautiful moments, and yet armed with my newest and best response for the kong-an, there’s an endless supply of them. the one that at long last surely had to be the solution. But At a talk that day, the teacher began with an observation. every answer I could dream up for the hanging from a branch “In this moment of sitting, we form a relationship with the kong-an had already been rejected. Nothing was left to try. I’d cricket sound and everything else in the moment, with each just sit there in embarrassing silence until I was dismissed. other. The quality of our energy and attention determines I bowed, the teacher bowed, and I sat down. At least it this relationship and that in turn literally determines what would be over with soon. will happen tomorrow and next week. Sit steadfastly, not to She got straight to the point. get it done or to get a reward—just to be there, awake and “Okay, Anne, you’re hanging from the tree by your teeth, alert­—that’s Zen,” she said. tied hand and foot. The man under the tree asks his question. ”We spend so much time trying to be something other What can you do?!!” than what we think we are. It’s very difficult and very painful. Her eyes bored into mine. It’s important to just be in touch with what we are, to be aware Seconds ticked by endlessly. The painful silence deep- of and enjoy the gifts we have, and to avoid the obviously ened. destructive things in society. The way we are in each moment “What can you do? Tell me!” she demanded again. determines the quality of our life and our environment. If Suddenly something came to mind and I tried it. we really take care of ourselves, then we will also take care “Correct!” She laughed. of everyone around us. Correct??! That was it?? My God, of course!

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 Walking back to the meditation room, a moment of mental clarity appeared, and I stopped. It didn’t matter how I got to this moment in time and space or where I went from there. Everything was present and everything was perfect just then. Instead of being still and experiencing it, and letting go of “I” in the process, “I” seized it. “Ah, there’s one,” I thought. Instantly it vanished, passed downstream and away in the flow of the river of time with its floating debris of mental babble. Underlying the stillness of the Zen meditation hall, internal mental stillness and letting go of the ego is critical for this experience. There wasn’t, any and I didn’t. Inevitably I spent the next sitting period trying to get that good feeling back. Was that enlightenment? Whatever it was, the sensation hadn’t lasted long enough to know. But striving and wanting to bring it back just made it more impossible. I was my usual semi—opaque, little, individual self who couldn’t reclaim the feeling by reaching for it. Just practice correctly and maybe that mental state would arise again sometime, I thought. Sitting in a meditation room prepares the mental substrate so altered mental states can arise unexpectedly. Maybe a master is someone who could continuously maintain that state, express it, and act out of it freely and spontaneously, I thought, rather than having a brief taste and then wondering what it was and where it went. Packing to leave, I wondered whether I was glad to go or would rather stay. Short retreats are good to clarify issues of [25[25 daily life but one isn’t likely to get past individual issues and into the mental place where a more profound experience can arise. Short retreats are like a mind baths. We do them regularly just like we take frequent baths for the body. The retreat washes the mind, lets it drop some of its accumulated ignorance, anger, worry, hopes, and desires. Then more time passes and painful mental states build up again, just as the body gets dirty again. So we go back for another bath. Going between retreats and daily life may seem like jumping out of the frying pan, into the fire, but which is the frying pan and which is the fire? We may learn to not make frying pan and to not make fire. Just moment to moment, do what is needed. A dawn and sunrise couldn’t happen in five minutes; it needed at least an hour. Maybe if I sat for a month, or a year or three years…. But that kind of wondering was pointless. Zen means coming peacefully when it’s time to come, and going peacefully when it’s time to go.

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 26]

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 December 5, 2006 to March 4, 2007 Winter Kyol Che at

[27

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 residential training zen master dae kwang guiding teacher and abbot

winter kyol che January 6–April 6, 2007 with zen master dae kwang kyol che is a time to investigate your life closely. this retreat will be held at the picturesque diamond hill zen monastery. fifty forested acres daily meditation practice for entry dates and times please visit www.providencezen.org kong-an interviews retreat fee $455/week or $4,500 full retreat kwan um school of zen full members dharma talks and full-time college students $315/week or $3,000 full retreat. monthly retreats kusz dharma teachers and dharma teachers in training $245/week or $2,500 full retreat. summer & winter intensives half price for eastern europeans who are members in good standing of their home zen centers retreat rentals

does not apply to eastern europeans living in United States. for visiting groups providence zen center zen providence 28] 99 pound road cumberland ri 02864 • 401-658/1464 • [email protected] • www.providencezen.org

Manhattan choyge sah zen temple Jung Wol Gak hermitage at providence zen center Myo ji sunim Abbot available for solitary Executive Director, retreats from one to NY Buddhism Television Channel 76 one hundred days

For information or reservations, please contact the Providence 42 West 96th Street 212/665-3641 Zen Center head dharma teacher: Chong Won Sunim New York NY 10025 917/282-9806 [email protected]

Richard Shrobe Eighth C.S.W., A.C.S.W. Triennial Conference • Psychotherapist Warsaw Zen Center Specializing in the Gestalt Approach 2008

201 East 34th St., 5th Floor, NY, NY 10016 (212) 685-7099 The Whole World is a Single Flower

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 The Kwan Um School of Zen 99 Pound Road, Cumberland, Rhode Island 02864-2726 USA • 401/658-1476 • Fax 401/658-1188 • [email protected] www.kwanumzen.org • See the list of web sites of our Zen Centers at www.kwanumzen.org/kusz-links.html

North America Cambridge Zen Center Delaware Valley Zen Center Great Lake Zen Center Manhattan Chogye Sah Temple Dae Gak Sah Zen Master Dae Kwang Dae Ho Soen Won Myo Ji Sunim JDPS Zen Master Bon Haeng c/o José Ramírez Zen Master Dae Kwang 42 West 96th Street Zen Master Bon Yeon P.O. Box 7837 c/o Peter Neuwald New York NY 10025 199 Auburn Street Newark, DE 19714-7837 828 East Locust Street 212/665-3641 Cambridge MA 02139 302/981-6209 Milwaukee WI 53212 212/531-1760 fax Office 617/576-3229 [email protected] 414/771-2490 Mexico City Zen Group Fax 617/864-9025 Dharma Zen Center [email protected] Zen Master Dae Kwang Residence 617/354-8281 Paul Park JDPSN Indianapolis Zen Center c/o Gabriel Ortega [email protected] 1025 South Cloverdale Avenue Lincoln Rhodes JDPSN Circular de Morelia #2-7 Cape Cod Zen Center Los Angeles CA 90019 3703 North Washington Blvd. Colonia Roma Zen Master Soeng Hyang 323/934-0330 Indianapolis IN 46205 Mexico DF 06700 169 North Main Street Fax 323/930-1961 317/921-9902 Mexico South Yarmouth, MA 02664 [email protected] [email protected] (52)-555-2433512 (Pablo) 508/362-2410 Empty Gate Zen Center Isthmus Zen Community (52)-555-6612068 [email protected] Mu Mun Sah Thom Pastor JDPSN [email protected] Chogye International Zen Center Zen Master Bon Soeng c/o David Peters Morning Star Zen Center of New York 2200 Parker Street 402 West Lakeview Avenue Zen Master Soeng Hyang (acting) Zen Master Wu Kwang Berkeley CA 94704 Madison WI 53716-2114 1599 Halsell Road 400 East 14th Street, Apt. 2E 510/845-8565 608/257-7970 Fayetteville AR 72701-3902 New York NY 10009 [email protected] [email protected] 479/521-6925 212/353-0461 Gateless Gate Zen Center Kansas Zen Center [email protected] [email protected] Zen Master Bon Haeng (acting) Nam Pung Sah Myung Wol Zen Center [29 Cold Mountain Zen Center 622A NE 2nd Street Judy Roitman JDPSN Merrie Fraser JDPSN Zen Master Bon Soeng Gainesville FL 32601 1423 New York Street P.O. Box 11084 c/o Cary de Wit 352/336-1517 Lawrence KS 66044 Scottsdale AZ 85271-1084 P.O. Box 82109 [email protected] 785/331-2274 480/947-6101 Fairbanks AK 99708 Great Brightness Zen Center [email protected] [email protected] 907/479-8109 Dae Myong Sah Little Rock Zen Group New Haven Zen Center [email protected] Thom Pastor JDPSN Zen Master Soeng Hyang (acting) Mu Gak Sah Cypress Tree Zen Group 5115 Dean Martin Drive 902 c/o Lucy Sauer Ken Kessel JDPSN Zen Master Bon Haeng (acting) Las Vegas NV 89118 4201 Kenyon 193 Mansfield Street P.O. Box 428 702/293-4222 Little Rock AR 72205-2010 New Haven CT 06511 Panacea FL 32346 [email protected] 501/661-1669 Office 203/787-0912 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Residence 203/777-2625 [email protected]

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PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 Africa The Dharma Centre Head Temple, Africa Europe Heila Downey JDPSN Barcelona Zen Center c/o Heila and Rodney Downey Zen Master Bon Yo North America continued P.O. Box 795 Bori Centro Zen Robertson, Cape 6705 c/ Freginal 7 Northern Light Zen Center South Africa Buk Kwang Soen Won Torredembarra (Tarragona) (27) 23-626-3515 Spain c/o Colin M. Fay Fax (27) 23-626-3515 21 Thompson Street 93 219 19 05 DHARMKEN@ [email protected] Brunswick, ME 04011 worldonline.co.za 207/729-4787 Berlin Zen Center Asia Poplar Grove Zen Centre [email protected] Head Temple, Western Europe Hoeh Beng Zen Center Heila Downey JDPSN Penobscot Area Zen Center Zen Master Dae Bong Roland Wöhrle-Chon JDPSN c/o Margie and Antony Osler (Mukyong JDPSN) c/o Marilynn Petit 18-A Jalan Raja Bot P.O. Box 232 46 Hemlock Point Road 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Gottschedstrasse 4 Colesberg 5980, South Africa 13357 Berlin, Germany Orono ME 04473 (60) 3-292-9839 (27) 51-753-1356 207/262-9362 Fax (60) 3-292-9925 (49) 30-46-60-50-90 Rondebosch Dharma Centre [email protected] [email protected] Fax (49) 30-46-60-50-91 Heila Downey JDPSN [email protected] Zen Group of Pittsburgh Kye Ryong Sahn Int’l Zen Center/ c/o Marlize Meyer P.O. Box 19272 Mu Sang Sah Bratislava Zen Center 6 Lulworth Mansions Head Temple, Slovakia Pittsburgh PA 15213 Zen Master Dae Bong Saint Andrews Road 412/734-1469 Mu Shim Sunim JDPS Zen Master Wu Bong Rondebosch Ludovíta Fullu st 58/22 [email protected] Chung-nam, Kye-ryong Shi Cape Town 7700, South Africa Du-ma Myon, Hyang-han Ri 84105 Bratislava, Slovakia Providence Zen Center (27) 21-686-3698 centre San 51-9, 321-917 +421 2 65413181 Hong Poep Won (27) 21-790-5546 home South Korea [email protected] Zen Master Dae Kwang [email protected] Office (82) 42-841-6084 99 Pound Road Brno Zen Center Fax (82) 42-841-1202 Cumberland RI 02864 Zen Master Wu Bong [email protected] Office 401/658-1464 Tábor 32A Fax 401/658-1188 Pengerang International 616 00 Brno, Czech Republic Residence 401/658-2499 Zen Center Middle East +420 604 821 655 30] [email protected] Kwan Yin Chan Lin Hasharon Zen Center +420 608 413 977 Gye Mun Sunim JDPS Zen Master Wu Bong [email protected] Ten Directions Zen Community Lot 109 Telok Ramunia 16a Hatchelet st. Zen Master Soeng Hyang Brussels Zen Group 81620 Pengerang Johor Hod Hasharon 45264 P.O. Box 2261 Head Temple, Belgium Malaysia Israel Glen Ellyn, IL 60138 Zen Master Bon Yo (60) 7 826 4848 972- (0)9- 7416171 630-244-0543 c/o Wojtek Kulwanowski [email protected] 972- (0)9-7408244 fax [email protected] Rodenbachstr. 118 Seoul International Zen Center [email protected] 1190 Brussels, Belgium Three Treasures Zen Center Head Temple, Asia Tel Aviv Zen Center (32) 2-270-0125 of Oneonta Hyon Gak Sunim JDPS Head Temple, Israel Fax (32) 2-270-0125 Zen Master Wu Kwang Hwa Gye Sah Zen Master Wu Bong [email protected] 14 Wayman Drive 487, Suyu 1 Dong 64 Alenby Street (rooftop) Otego NY 13825 Kang Buk Gu, 142-071 Seoul, Tel Aviv 65812, Israel 607/988-7966 Korea +972 3 510-7356 [email protected] 82-2-900-4326 [email protected] Fax 82-2-903-5770 [email protected] Singapore Zen Center South America Kwan Yin Chan Lin Prison Groups Gye Mun Sunim JDPS Modesto Grupo de Meditadores Adult Correctional Institution, Malmesbury Prison, South Africa Heila Downey JDPSN 203C Lavender Street Rhode Island c/o Tania Lohmann Singapore 338763 Marion Correctional Institute, (65) 6392-0265 Baker Correctional Institute, Florida Rua Ramiro Barcelos 1843 Florida 90035-006 Porto Alegre RS Fax (65) 6298-7457 Massachusetts Treatment Center, Brazil [email protected] Bay State Correctional Center, Bridgewater Norfolk, Massachusetts Su Bong Zen Monastery MCI Norfolk, Massachusetts Gak Su Mountain Temple Coleman Federal Corrections Nellis Federal Prison Camp, Zen Master Dae Kwan Complex, Florida Nevada 32 Leighton Road Florida State Prison 5/F Starlight Hse Putnamville State Correctional Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, Hernando Correctional Institute, Facility, Indiana Florida China Union Correctional Institute, (852) 28919315 Indiana State Prison, Michigan Florida Fax (852) 25750093 City Westville Correctional Center, [email protected] Lowell Correctional Institute, Indiana Florida

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006 Hamburg Zen Group Olomouc Zen Center Szeged Sangha Europe continued Roland Wöhrle-Chon JDPSN Zen Master Wu Bong Chong An Sunim JDPS (Mukyong JDPSN) Centrum Gótama, Farkas Sándor c/o Hwa Rang (vedle Ceskomoravské Alsókikötó sor 7/d, IV/10 Budapest Zen Center Tae-Kwon-Do School hypotecní banky), 6723 Szeged, Hungary Head Temple, Hungary Humboldtsrasse 67a, Riegrova ulice 16, +36.30/903.8124 Chong An Sunim JDPS 22083 Hamburg, Germany Czech Republic [email protected] Bajza utca 58 +49-(0)40-72545986 tel. 608 327 724 Tatabánya Zen Center H-1062 Budapest, Hungary [email protected] [email protected] Chong An Sunim JDPS +36.30/408.1211 Oslo Zen Center Torma András Fax +3612694344 Katowice Zen Group Head Temple, Norway Bárdos lakópark 4/A 2/4 [email protected] Zen Master Bon Shim Ul. Plebiscytowa 35a/1 Zen Master Wu Bong 2800 Tatabánya, Hungary Ceské Budejovice Zen Center 40-036 Katowice, Poland c/o Mariusz Suchanecki +36/20.332.1952 Zen Master Wu Bong (48) 0601 149 099 PO Box 16, Majorstuen [email protected] c/o Vit Erban [email protected] 0330 Oslo, Norway Velikiy Novgorod Namesti Premysla Otakara II. 38 +47 93262727 Meditation Center (Kulturne vzdelavaci centrum Kaunas Zen Group [email protected] Zen Master Wu Bong Pansofie, 4th floor) Andrzej Piotrowski JDPSN Palma Zen Center 30 Borovskaya ul. Ceske Budejovice c/o Jonas Vitkunas Head Temple, Spain Bronnitsa Czech Republic Tako 3-9, Akademija Zen Master Bon Yo Velikiy Novgorod, 173110 +420 732 734 984 LT-53356 Kaunus, Lithuania C/Can Sales, núm 14, bajos. Russia [email protected] 370-656-28633 Fax 370-7-268-572 07012 Palma de Mallorca 7(8162)666206 Cologne Zen Group [email protected] Illes Balears, Spain [email protected] Roland Wöhrle-Chon JDPSN (34) 971-728-981 Vienna Zen Group (Mukyong JDPSN) Kladno Zen Center [email protected] Head Temple, Austria c/o Gisla Blankenburg Zen Master Wu Bong Paris Zen Center Roland Wöhrle-Chon JDPSN Lindenburger Allee 24 Centrum Ambrosia Head Temple, Europe (Mukyong JDPSN) 50931 Koeln, Germany atrium hotelu Sítná Zen Master Bon Yo c/o Knud Rosenmayr (49) 221-40 98 96 Námestí Sítná 3113, Kladno 35 Rue de Lyon Rennweg 89/5/5 [email protected] Czech Republic 0312/661 120 75012 Paris, France 1030 Wien, Austria Danish Zen Center 606 886 368 (33) 1-44-87-07-70 [email protected] Head Temple, Denmark Fax (33) 1-44-87-09-07 Vilnius Zen Center Zen Master Wu Bong Kosice Zen Center [email protected] Head Temple, Lithuania Vordingborgvej 105B Zen Master Wu Bong Prague Zen Center Andrzej Piotrowski JDPS DK-4681 Herfoelge Letna 43 [31 Head Temple, Czech Republic c/o Egle Kisieliute Denmark 04001 Kosice, Slovakia Zen Master Wu Bong Ciobiskio str. 23 nr 8 (+45) 70252530 tel/fax: +421 55 6334005 Kwan Um Zen, Pod Trati 1 2010 Vilnius, Lithuania [email protected] [email protected] +370 52 734398 Kraków Zen Center Prague 5, 150 00, Czech Debrecen Zen Group Republic [email protected] Chong An Sunim JDPS Zen Master Bon Shim +420 244 460 852 Vilseck Zen Group Papp Ádám ul. Łobzowska 41/3 +420 257 324 716 Roland Wöhrle-Chon JDPSN Jókai u. 23. 31-139 Kraków, Poland [email protected] (Mukyong JDPSN) 4026 Debrecen, Hungary +48 505 038 164 Riga Zen Center c/o Kevin and Judy Folsom +36.20/550.1769 Litomerice Zen Center Head Temple, Latvia Josef-Hayden Strasse 1 [email protected] Zen Master Wu Bong Vilseck 92249, Germany c/o Viktor Matys Zen Master Wu Bong Decín Zen Center 49-9662-700494 Nezvalova 31 (flat) Alexander Lahtionov Zen Master Wu Bong Ilukstes 101-31 [email protected] Teplická 49, Decín 4 Litomerice, Czech Republic Riga, LV-1082, Latvia Warsaw Zen Center Czech Republic 416-743543 +37129510720 Head Temple, Eastern Europe 608 035 005 721-674455 [email protected] Zen Master Bon Shim 777 888 009 [email protected] Rzeszów Zen Group 04-962 Warsaw Falenica 608 978 497 Lódz Zen Group Zen Master Bon Shim ul. Malowiejska 24, Poland [email protected] Zen Master Bon Shim (48) 22-612-7223 ul. Ogrodowa 26 m. 29 c/o Artur Sikora Dresden Zen Center Personal 48-22-872-0400 91-065 Lódz, Poland ul. Korczaka 4/69 Roland Wöhrle-Chon JDPSN 35-114 Rzeszów, Poland [email protected] (Mukyong JDPSN) (48) 42-33-30-74 Saint Petersburg Zen Center Zlín Zen Center c/o Gerber [email protected] Head Temple, Russia Zen Master Wu Bong Frühlingsstr. 7, London Zen Group Zen Master Wu Bong c/o Jitka Korenková 01099 Dresden, Germany c/o Bogumila Malinowska Tretiakovu Vladimiru Czech Republic 49/ 351/ 3740530 9B Crouch Hill N4 4AP Pavlovsk, Molchanova str. 21/33 tel. 608 347 496 London, United Kingdom Gdansk Zen Center 189623 Saint Petersburg, Russia [email protected] 00447742979050 Andrzej Piotrowski JDPSN (7) 812-465-1113 [email protected] Sowinskiego 1/2 [email protected] 80143 Gdansk, Poland Munich Zen Group Szczecin Zen Group +0-48 58 3022809 Roland Wöhrle-Chon JDPSN Zen Master Bon Shim [email protected] (Mukyong JDPSN) Ul. Bazarowa 5/12 Amalienstr. 71 (DBU) 71-614 Szczecin, Poland München-Schwabing, (48) 91-4227808 Germany [email protected] 49/ 89/ 30002706 [email protected]

PRIMARY POINT Fall 2006